2017 Farm Season

Hey folks, Farmer John here.

It’s 2017 and we’re hitting the ground running! Well, feels like we never stopped running from last year. We had a lovely winter over here at Camps Road Farm and we are as ready as you are for warm weather, sunshine, and all things growing.

This year brings about some major changes to our farm. We are both growing and contracting in various ways which is both exciting and nerve-wracking. There are a lot of layers to our decision-making but after having the slower winter months to iron out some details, we’re feeling great going into the Spring.

 

 

Beer Tasting Room and Farm Store Opening in May

We are open for farm tours, bottle sales, and growler fills as of April 8th, 2017.

From then on we will be open Saturdays from 12-4pm with farm tours at 11:30am and 2pm. We are currently undergoing construction on our barn to turn it into a classy looking farm store and a sweet sweet beer tasting room. We’re pretty far along in the process and it looks like we’re all set to open for tastings in mid to late May. We will be updating the farm’s website and social media as well as making announcements through the brewery website.

Just a review:

  • Farm and Brewery Open Saturdays 12-4pm
  • Farm Tours at 11:30am and 2pm
  • Tasting Room and Farm Store opening later in May

We won’t be at the New Milford Farmer’s Market  in 2017

The biggest change this year is that we will not be participating in the New Milford Farmer’s Market (NMFM). This is a bitter sweet decision for us and definitely merits some explanation.

The Bitter

The most bitter part of not attending the farmers’ market this year will be missing all the regulars who we see every weekend. The NMFM is how I was able to get started farming in this area, it gave the brewery a leg up when the law was passed allowing craft breweries in Connecticut to sell beer at farmer’s markets, and it is where all our friends and fellow farmers are on the weekends.

Everyone here at the farm and brewery are eternally grateful for the help and support the market has given us through the years.

The Sweet

We will still be visiting the farmer’s market personally, because that is where we buy all the food that we can’t grow during the season. That and if my daughter Mabel has to go without apple cider donuts from Averill Farm & Orchard I’m going to have an angry 3 year old on my hands.

Not attending the NMFM this year will allow us to focus all our energy into making the farm/brewery experience a great one.

 

No CSAs This Year 🙁

This was the toughest change to swallow. Because of all the energy we are putting into the farm store, tours, and tastings, we have paired down some of the other operations we are committing to so that we can remain focused.  As part of that we are raising fewer batches of chickens and pigs, resulting in less availability outside of our farm store.

It is our plan, it is our hope, it is in our hearts that this change is ONLY FOR THIS YEAR. We want to bring it back as early as 2018. In order to do that we need to make sure that our systems with this new part of Camps Road Farm are streamlined, effective, and productive.

… That was a bummer to write. We can’t end this blogpost like this…

 

EGGS ARE BACK! 🙂

See? There is good news! This year at the farm store, not only will we be offering the best pasture raised chicken and pork you can find in the whole entire world, but we will be picking up our egg operation again and will have them for sale exclusively at our farm store. Additionally, we are using our growing spaces to bring you some tasty seasonal veggies. There’s a lot, and we’re excited for it. Let’s review:

  • Eggs (because we know you love them)
  • Chickens
  • Pork
  • Vegetables
  • Flowers
  • Herbs
  • Apples (in the fall)

Of course, while you’re here you will be able to taste our beer, buy a bottle or fill a growler to take home, and even get your picture taken with our Brewery Manager Barry (Barry’s consent not yet obtained).

 

I know this is a lot, and I thank you for sticking with me. Small scale farming can be tough, but all your support over the past couple of years makes it a whole lot easier and enjoyable. We will keep you updated through our email newsletter and the website here as our season progresses. We of course welcome any and all questions by either contacting us here at the farm, or coming in person for a visit.

 

Thanks again! Hope to see you soon.

Cheers,

Farmer John